Heung-min Son scores the winner as Spurs comeback to beat Luton

• Spurs defeated Luton Town 2-1 at home in the second half, pulling themselves temporarily into the top four of the Premier League standings.

Spurs defeated Luton Town 2-1 at home in the second half, pulling themselves temporarily into the top four of the Premier League standings.

Tahith Chong’s early strike put Spurs behind one goal at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a scene all too familiar to the Lilywhites supporters as their club failed to score in the opening half of a Premier League home game for the seventh consecutive game.

But early in the second half, Issa Kabore gave the hosts a boost with an own goal. Son Heung-min’s goal in the 86th minute completed the comeback and put the hosts in the Champions League spots ahead of Aston Villa’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers in the evening slot.

Even though Micky van de Ven made a comeback from a hamstring injury, Richarlison was kept out of the starting lineup while Micky van de Ven was kept out of it.

The only change made by the Lilywhites was Timo Werner replacing Brennan Johnson, but with only three minutes remaining, the away team would unexpectedly descend into chaos, mostly due to a former Lilywhites striker.

With much too much ease, Andros Townsend outpaced Yves Bissouma down the right and crossed for an unguarded Ross Barkley, who moved the ball to the left so that Chong could hit a fantastic low shot that found the far corner.

Tahith Choch openend the scoring. Photo/ Sky Sports

Even though Luton’s first goal was expertly executed, Spurs’ defensive structure was haphazard, and Werner’s attempt to replicate Chong‘s left-footed strike across goal in the 15th minute, which went wide, was another example of this.

The German’s emotions were heightened during a frantic few seconds in the 19th minute, when Son saw his shot painfully hit both posts. In the chaos that followed, Hatters defenders denied Werner and Pape Sarr.

The Lilywhites had failed to make the net ripple in six consecutive first halves before to the interval due to Spurs’ inability to equalize, and Ange Postecoglou’s team left with their heads down under a chorus of jeers from the irate home crowd.

Six minutes after the restart, Postecoglou’s decision to bench Dejan Kulusevski, who was responsible for the Luton goal, in favor of Johnson was confirmed. Postecoglou was scrambling to find answers for Spurs’ lack of bite.

Johnson and Pedro Porro set up a neat one-two down the right before the latter headed a cross toward Werner. However, under pressure from the German, Kabore unintentionally blasted the ball past a defenseless Thomas Kaminski to tie the score for Spurs.

With their tails up, the revitalized hosts looked for a second goal right away. Son almost found one in the 56th minute, but Kaminski stopped him with his legs.

The hosts were only inches away from grabbing the lead in the 78th minute, but Guglielmo Vicario was still having a busy day at the other end, turning a spectacular strike by Jordan Clark around the post in the 64th.

Tottenham players celebrate Son’s goal. Photo/ Evening Standard

The ball appeared to creep over the line when Johnson struck Kaminski low, but Alfie Doughty made a stunning last-ditch clearing, and Jarred Gillett’s watch generated no buzz in one of the narrowest goal-line calls the Premier League has ever seen.

But no extra technology was required to confirm Tottenham’s well-earned second goal in the 86th minute. Postecoglou’s team quickly converted defense into attack, and Son’s shot eventually gave them the lead after deflecting off of Daiki Hashioka and fooling Kaminski.

The Tricky Trees’ tie with Crystal Palace has placed Rob Edwards’s team back into the relegation zone in 18th position, below Nottingham Forest on goal difference. Meanwhile, Postecoglou’s team will spend at least two hours in the top four owing to their better goals scored over Villa.

The capital derby between Tottenham and West Ham United is scheduled for next Tuesday. The day before, Luton will travel to North London for the second consecutive game.